LETTER: Availability, not residency, is the issue with MPP

The following letter was submitted by Selva Rasaiah:

The debated issue of Conservative MPP Ross Romano’s permanent place of residence should be considered “neither here nor there.”

It is really about his availability to his constituents in Sault Ste. Marie.

MPP Romano has acknowledged that he receives most of the summer months off and there is a “constituent week” virtually every month where an MPP would be home in their constituency office.

There has been regular media coverage of multiple groups and organizations that have protested outside his constituency office, but he was “unavailable.”

Were these protests simply poorly timed when Romano “happened” to be in Toronto?

He effectively devotes ample time in the media to talk about the demanding work behind the scenes and his personal accomplishments. Meanwhile, the resolute people of the community dealing with local issues continue to struggle with a tired voice echoing the same message to an apparent “present” local MPP.

It is unfortunate that his family is impacted by poorly worded messaging by the NDP, but it is part of the rhetoric of politics.

He has drawn some unfair criticism and has endured being a scapegoat for some issues in the north like Laurentian University’s insolvency. It is a debatable issue in Sudbury where Laurentian is not blameless for an issue that predates Romano’s position as Minister of Colleges and Universities or his publicly perceived “powers” to resolve their legacy administrative issues.

However, local issues have fallen flat by what many might consider a “token” MPP missing in action torn between his family in Sudbury and his “true” home in the Sault. Now that Romano is “back” and home to stay, it is hard for those impacted by his unavailability to feel that a new term will make up for his absenteeism in the Sault. In a riding where multiple candidates do not live in the Sault, is this election term Romano’s second chance to redeem himself and show his commitment to residents in his hometown?

MPP Romano like most people put his family first, but did he forget that his job is to listen, be physically present, and be the voice for issues for those living in the Sault? Your family matters but so does your community, and realistically so does your job.